Shape Me
There is no question the profound impact that music can and does have on an individual and a culture. From childhood sing-along songs to the early teenage years of listening to the “non parent approved” songs but only because we like the beat not the words. Music can change your emotions and take you places. It can set the mood or it can take you out of a mood. The reality is that movies would not be nearly as effective without their sound tracks, think Top Gun, Rocky, Rudy, Braveheart or The Notebook, um…never mind that last one. We can think of a song and tie it back to a location or an event. Maybe its the conception of a child, first kiss, a death a friend or a road that you were driving on. I can even pinpoint certain songs to smells and feelings. Music is powerful not matter how you package it.
I was thinking about the music that has shaped me and potentially my “Gen X” generation, er, if that’s how you say it.
- Nirvana
- U2
- Michael Jackson
- Green Day
- Smashing Pumpkins
- Hootie and the Blowfish
- Pearl Jam
- Oasis
- Dave Matthews Band
- Wheezer
- The Offspring
- The Fugees
- Bush
- Foo Fighters
- Alanis Morissette
- Collective Soul
- Gin Blossoms
- Live
- Candlebox
- The Presidents of the United States of America
- The Wallflowers
- Radiohead
- REM
- Sound Garden
Each of these groups had a song that reminds me of an event, a person and a memory.
What bands have had a part of shaping who you are?
The A21 Campaign
You Don’t Even Know
Things are always changing around you whether you like it or not. Some people are great with change and others really have a hard time letting go of the past. The journey that each of us take has many variables to it. Some people grow up and move away. Some people get married and then they get divorced. Some get an incurable disease like cancer. Some will go to college and others will stay where they grew up. Some will graduate and get their dream jobs while others lose their job after being stuck in it for years. Then there are those that you love who will die. Things never seem to stay the same.
I’ve talked with friends who love to talk about the past. I’m okay with that, for a bit, but then there is this part of me that wonders what are they living for today? Are they embracing the opportunities of today or tomorrow? If I’m honest I find myself doing the same thing sometimes. I sit and remember what it used to be like and then I am reminded that if I am constantly looking back and holding on to my past then I will not be able to embrace today or tomorrow.
It’s ok to look at your past and learn from your past. To celebrate the past, to grieve the past but it is not ok to stay in the past. There comes a point where each of us must let go and move on and embrace what it is that God wants us to live for now. James 4:14 says, “You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring-what your life will be!” That is exciting. What is so exciting about a past that you have already lived? For me I get excited about a future that I have to live for.
Does your life look anything like you thought it would? How are you letting go of the past and embracing today?
Returning To The Vomit
There is this verse that I don’t like in the Bible. Romans 12:19, “Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. I’ll do the judging, says God. I’ll take care of it.” But God it is easier for me to take care of it and I do believe it is more fun. Luke chapter 6 tells us, “Forgive and you will be forgiven.” Forgiveness on the surface appears to be very easy but at the root it is very difficult. I am currently on this journey with God where I am forgiving those who have hurt, betrayed or even destroyed my reputation even if they greet that forgiveness with smugness and skepticism. Here are a few things I am learning.
- I don’t know if the forgiveness is as much for them as it is for me. I am truly setting myself free.
- Forgiveness is painful because it requires you to face your past and your past choices.
- In many cases they may not even believe they did something wrong but that’s not the point.
- Forgiveness requires that we are happy for them not in their failures but in their success.
- Forgiveness may mean that you walk away still feeling it is unresolved from their end.
- Forgiveness gives us hope.
- We forgive not because it feels good or right but because Christ forgave us.
- We are all like children when it comes to forgiveness and non of us have it figured out.
I’m on this journey and at times it is uncomfortable but I know it is completely necessary. All I can do is release them it is up to them to offer the forgiveness or accept the forgiveness. The reality is that our past shapes who we are today but forgiveness will shape who we are tomorrow.
The Tiger Woods Front Row
Posted by Mike Foster
I know we could stir up a lot of debate around what happened at Tiger Woods’ press conference. Especially if we discussed whether he meant it, the format, and all the other juicy details that the public seems to be so obsessed with these days.
But we aren’t TMZ or The View who profit from trashing, analyzing, and questioning everything. And we don’t exploit the pain of others.
So here are my simple thoughts.
I unashamedly support Tiger, can’t wait for him to play golf again, and pray that his marriage survives this crisis. I’m 100% in his corner.
What stood out to me on Friday? It was the people sitting in the front row.
His Mom who he hugged right after. A top executive from Nike whose company has refused to bail on him. And one of his best friends, fellow golfer Notah Begay, who has stood by Tiger since his college days.
The front row statement was profound. On the peaks, in the deepest valleys, we stand with our son, friend, and colleague. Let the crap hit the fan, we aren’t going anywhere.
We could all learn a lesson from that.
I have to admit I completely agree with everything he said.
Philadelphia’s Worst Ten List
Was listening on the radio which is always accurate in reporting the facts, and I heard that Philadelphia has been placed on many lists that most major cities would not want to be on. The lists cover such things as: commute times, corruption, pro sports teams, Superfund sites, taxes (both income and sales), unemployment, violent crime and weather. So far Philadelphia is in the top ten or in the top five on 5 lists…2 of them sadly we are number 1. Still looking for facts to back this up on the other most reliable source, the Internet.
- Philadelphia ranked #1 as the fattest city in the U.S.
- One of the most bitter and angry cities to live in due to our sports teams.
- One of the most miserable cities in the U.S. to live in.
- One of the most dangerous cities in the U.S to live in.
- Philadelphia ranked #1 as the ugliest cities in the U.S. to live in.
With all that being said, it is no coincidence that God has placed Fellowship Church right outside of Philly to reach and connect those who are far from God with Him. Those lists may be true but our God is bigger than all of those lists. Share with people your story and the story that God loves them…it just may make a difference.
Do Something
Awareness, Commitment & Transformation. Three core values for the Poverty Revolution challenge set before our students. Our goal was to make them aware of social justice globally, do something locally and connect them internally with the local church. So far we have 30 students committed to our Poverty Revolution weekend March 19th-21st and we have had $4575 pledged towards social justice. This weekend will be tough, cold, uncomfortable and force them to face issues head on.
They are out in the community and their circle of influence talking about social justice and raising funds. So many creative ways they can raise funds for this.
- Drink water for two weeks and take all the funds that you would have spent on sodas, coffee, fruit and energy drinks and donate them to Poverty Revolution.
- Skip a meal a day for 10 days and donate the funds towards Poverty Revolution. Maybe get the entire family to do it.
- Instead of going to a movie and buying snacks…stay in with friends and watch a DVD and donate the funds to Poverty Revolution.
- Shovel snow.
- Babysit and tell them that everything you are making is going to social justice.
So many ways to make people aware and have them do something so much bigger than themselves. The culmination of raising funds will come on the Poverty Revolution weekend when they will live in cardboard boxes, eat rice, peanut butter, plain oatmeal and drink only water. They will be working to feed the homeless, hungry and needy.
The goal is to make them aware of social justice issues such as: homelessness, poverty, clean water acts, human trafficking, aids, hunger and fair trade. After the weekend is completed they will come together to disperse the funds through World Vision.
Very excited about the potential for this to change students forever. Partner with us in praying for them to follow through with their commitments and have the boldness to talk about social justice. If you are interested in sponsoring a student or participating yourself email me at Ryan@fellowshiptoday.com
Snow Day
For so many people when a “snow day” occurs (or in our case a “snow week” in the Northeast) it is a time for them to enjoy the day off from work or from school. Through Poverty Revolution it has been brought to my attention that this is not the same feelings that so many children have. In fact there is a large number of students who have mixed feelings about a snow day. Yes they don’t have to go to school and deal with the routine but for so many they also don’t get to eat. Without school they do not eat. For so many students their only source of nourishment comes from school lunches which once again for a large majority of them are on free or reduced-price lunches. Sadly as the article states many of the non-profits had to close their doors due to the storms and were unable to subsidize these meals for students.
Not sure what can be done about this? It really bothers me that with as wealthy as America is there are still people who are hungry. What can you do? How can you make a difference? Just like in John 6, Jesus can take what little you have and do something extraordinary. You can check out the full article here. It is a compelling read.
Jump
There are those moments that define you. Those moments where you realize what God has been doing in your life and yet you didn’t understand it, until now. Anybody who has been in ministry looks for those moments. Those moments encourage us when it gets tough. Those moments remind us why we do what we do. Those moments are given to us by God because He knows we needed to hear it at that moment.
Had a newer student post on their blog one of those moments for them. First let me say, I love to see students blogging and sharing their lives as an online author. Second, for a student to put anything like this out publicly shows me that God is doing something incredible in their life.
Name: Betsey Suchanic
School: Garnet Valley High School
Blog: Tall Buildings and Tiny Epidemics
Tonight I jumped. I literally jumped. My life changed tonight.
I got my first boyfriend.
That was wonderful. =D But my life changed in a whole different way too.
After my dad died, I lost faith in God. It wasn’t intentional. It wasn’t like one day I just decided that I didn’t believe anymore. I couldn’t understand why my dad had to be taken away. Over a couple of months it just faded away. I still believed, but not with my whole heart. I really wanted too. I just couldn’t.
Tonight that changed.
I finally understand. Between the stuff we discussed in our life groups and the video we watched after. I just understand. I can’t give a real explanation for why I understand. But I do. I’m so happy I do. I’m so grateful for being able to go to this church.
So tonight I jumped. I literally jumped. My life changed tonight.
(I cannot believe I’m actually posting this.)
I love the defining moments in a teenagers life. What have been some of your defining moments? What has been that moment that keeps you going and reminds you why you do what you do when it gets tough?
Name Dropper
Alright let’s be honest…who doesn’t like to name drop every once in a while? Like the time I ran into Kelly Ripa at the Franklin Institute in Philly. No literally I walked back into a room and strategically ran into her to say hi, I know I’m pathetic. At Catalyst I had a chance to run into a guy who through his books has shaped a lot of my thinking as a Christ Follower. He had no clue who I was at the time as tons of people were pulling for his attention. Running into guys like that for me is like others running into their favorite athlete.
Today I had a chance to meet Mark Batterson again. Mark is the pastor of National Community Church in D.C. and the author of In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase and his new one Primal. I was invited to have lunch with some local pastors and Mark today through the Primal tour that Hockessin Baptist Church is sponsoring. If I had to describe Mark I would say, humble encourager. No wonder God blesses people and churches like that when they have leaders like Mark. He actually took the time to talk to me for 20 minutes one on one and just pick my brain and invest into me. Very humbling experience and he also shared with me what he felt God wanted me to hear. Little did he know at the time, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. He had one of his campus pastors with him Chris Jarrell who displayed a lot of the same qualities of Mark.
Here are some takeaways from the lunch:
- Nothing keeps us on our knees like uncertainty.
- Everything is an experiment. ::That way if it flops, it’s okay it was an experiment.
- Church in an organic way…leadership from the bottom up not the top down. ::Lift up your teams.
- There are ways of doing church, that no one has ever thought of yet. ::That pumps me up.
- It’s not failure if you learn from it.
- Don’t just think BIG-think L O N G
- Identify the spiritually defining moments in your life.
- Don’t let your budget shape your vision, let your vision shape your budget.
- Change of place + change of space = change of perspective.
- Spend more time with God than you do with people in the church.
- Nothing is better than doing ministry out of the overflow of what God is doing in you!
What a great day as those of you who follow this blog, you know that I love leadership.
So tell me what famous people have you met? What thoughts from above from Mark stuck out to you?
